


Mating For Beginners

by Chocobofever



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Humor, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2018-08-24 12:29:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8372308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chocobofever/pseuds/Chocobofever
Summary: When war gets in the way of courting.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Something I wrote as 'light writing' since my brain seems to have blown a fuse trying to write pieces to longer, more complicated series.

Kakashi breathed in the scent of Iruka. It was faint, barely there, but still sticking to the pillow he’d laid his head on the many nights he’d spent next to Kakashi in the alpha’s lair. Iruka had been sent to safety along with the other omegas. With Rock threatening them it was sheer absurdity to keep omegas close to the border and Kakashi wanted nothing more than to keep Iruka safe, just—Kakashi sighed into the pillow, almost crying.

He and Iruka were not mated. Due to this, Iruka was as good as single, able to roam the alphas guarding Konoha however he wished. By the time the conflict with Rock was settled, he could very well be pregnant.

“Why.” Kakashi’s fingers curled into fists, grabbing hair, pulling on it. The physical pain did not quite distract him from the emotional, but it still helped him feel better.

Why hadn’t Kakashi acted when he still had the chance to?

—

Around him, Iruka witnessed new pairs forming and breaking up every day. Compared to how things had been before, the going had gotten ridiculous. With most alphas on to road, protecting their territory, the ones that remained had gotten cocky. And why wouldn’t they? Betas and omegas fought tooth and nail for each free man, no matter how lousy of a person he might appear to someone who was thinking with a cool head.

Iruka had gotten his fair share of propositions as well. They always made him feel unsettled, reminding him of the thing he’d had going in the Northern stronghold. They never spoke of it expressly, but Iruka felt like he and Kakashi might have attempted a bond the next time he went into heat. That was a serious level of commitment and something Iruka was hesitant to just ignore.

He’d be going into heat soon though. Iruka could feel it in his muscles and in his bones, like tiny jolts of electricity, slowly turning him on.

—

Kakashi felt like such a loser. If Iruka ignored him, he didn’t think his ego could handle coming face to face with the omega again. In front of him, on the desk, lay a letter, ready to be sent.

—

It was the letter which decided it. Iruka was already in the phase of feeling hot an restless, the guards studying him with curious eyes, when Sakura walked up to him with it.

Kakashi’s penmanship was sloppy and the alpha had crossed out many words, changing his mind in the middle of a sentence, but his intent carried: He was asking if Iruka might, maybe, think of, well, if no better opportunities presented themselves, consider carrying on where he and Kakashi had left off once the issue with Rock was solved. It might take a long time thought. Like a year, maybe several, but if neither of them found something better (here Iruka put a hand on his mouth, smiling, since Kakashi obviously wasn’t going to find someone with only alphas left at the front lines) they might as well continue something that worked.

When Iruka four days later was in the throes of a full blown heat, he typed out his response, knowing exactly what to say. Afterwards, he folded piece of paper into a small, plastic bag before sticking it into the traditional envelope.

—

After sending the letter, Kakashi was distraught. Alphas did not grovel and doing so was only going to make him less attractive in the eyes of potential mates. Not that there were any mates to attract where he was. Some alphas were getting desperate enough to hit on their own kind, which had ended with Genma receiving a black eye for his efforts. But, in a moment of madness, Kakashi had groveled _in letter form._

Kakashi even sucked at writing. Iruka told him that all the time.

It was at the point where Kakashi was absolutely certain he would have to avoid the brunette for the rest of his life when something arrived in the mail. Ibiki threw it at his head while on his way to the whiteboard, about to review their latest plan with the men, leaving Kakashi and his closest mates to stare at it in astonishment. Kakashi was very careful prying it open with the tips of his fingers.

“What’s that?” asked Raidou, almost leaning into Kakashi’s lap to have a look. Kakashi elbowed him in the side to make him move away.

“I don’t know,” Kakashi said honestly, furrowing his brows. Inside of the envelope there was a small plastic bag, holding what appeared to be... A letter? Kakashi opened the plastic bag slightly and immediately knew its purpose.

The whole room, one hundred and eighty alphas, Ibiki included, turned to face him.

—

It was almost two hours later, nose bleeding ( _an injury_ he’d sustained _fighting_ for the letter _,_ not other things) that Kakashi sat down in his personal quiets. The paper plugs he’d stuck into his nostrils to stop the bleeding also helped him focus on the writing rather than the scent sticking to the paper with impressive strength. Someone was still banging on his door, demanding entrance, but Kakashi ignored them while mentally throwing them the middle finger.

_Dear Kakashi,_

Kakashi shuddered reading the title, somehow knowing, instinctively, that Iruka’s cursive writing wasn’t usually so round and relaxed. It was all he’d ever wanted, yet not.

He actually wanted to _be_ with Iruka, but... Reading was also very satisfying.

_I hope this letter finds you in great health. I personally am well._

At this point Kakashi was certain Iruka knew what the heat was doing to his writing because ‘I am well’ should not, in any other circumstances, be considered a suggestive phrase. The curves he’d typed on the ‘w’ for ‘well’ were absolutely _naughty_.

—

When eight months later some injured soldiers were brought to Konoha to rest and recuperate, Kakashi was part of the team delivering them. He barely stayed the night, their schedule being tight, but he made sure to take Iruka’s jacket and leave the omega with his own when he snuck out at the light of dawn.

Iruka was very angry when he realized the alpha had left without letting him say goodbye.

—

In spring, Iruka began to feel restless again. He noticed alphas watching him from the corners of their eyes. Wearing Kakashi’s jacket helped, as the too long sleeves and the _jonin_ mark on the shoulder suddenly made Iruka less interesting in their eyes.

Then Iruka’s heat hit and he realized nothing would be like the last time. The pain he experienced in the first hour was almost enough to make him black out. The medic, Tsunade, was called to look at him immediately, but her prognosis did little to dissuade Iruka’s fears: According to her, Iruka’s body had decided to get pregnant at any cost. He’d entered red heat.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Waaait for it, waait for it... 
> 
> A/N: It's been such a long time since I wrote this and I wrote it to cure writer's block, so the style and feeling are quite different, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless!

 

* * *

PART TWO

* * *

 

 

It had been four days and Kakashi was no doubt going to get executed for his troubles (at least if Ibiki had a word in it), but finally he’d made it. Home, sweet home. Kakashi’s arm shook as he parted the leaves of a tree as he gazed down at the village he had been born in.

 _Red heat._ Christ. And to think they’d planned on not telling him! Good thing Kakashi had happened to stroll by (read: He’d hidden in a rarely visited storage room to read porn) and had caught Ibiki and Inoichi conversing in the hallway. Since everybody else was supposed to be at mess, they’d obviously thought they would be alone and had failed to be appropriately quiet (read: if Kakashi pressed his ear against the door, he could make out individual words amidst the hushed whispers). Kakashi knew that if he waited, he’d no doubt be given an express order not to leave the stronghold for several days and if he went against that, he’d be formally labeled a traitor. He didn’t know if leaving _before_ said order could be issued made him any better, but at least he had plausible deniability.

So he left immediately, not even daring to round back to his rooms for supplies. (Which he regretted about halfway to Konoha when he realized he had no drinking water, but hey, he made it and that was all that counted.)

It had already been several days though. During his trip Kakashi had plenty of chance to imagine all the horrible things that could be happening to Iruka (and plenty of chances to dig his mind out of the gutter as well). What if Iruka didn’t make it? What if he was really, really hot when in heat? (Kakashi knew the omega would be.) What if Kakashi made it to him and _passed out_ because the omega was simply too enchanting to behold??

Those were his dominating thoughts as he stepped in through the glass doors to the hospital. The lobby was empty sans an elderly couple hugging on one of the couches and a small nurse that came tittering down the hall. Kakahi caught her by the wrist, pulling her to a stop, and could immediately see the alarm in her body. ”An omega named Umino Iruka was brought in some days ago. Do you know which room he’s being held in?”

The nurse blinked in befuddlement, obviously that was not what she’d expected him to say. Eventually the nervous tension in her body let up and she eyed him curiously. ”Yes. Did you come to visit him?”

Kakashi nodded eargerly. Success!He had feared that the staff might have been instructed to not let any alphas close to Iruka’s room, but apparently that was not the case for the nurse beamed at him.

”That’s so sweet of you! We have sooo many patients that don’t get visited much. Especially with the long term ones it’s just heartbreaking. But you’re here! ” She looked so excited, like Kakashi had made her day just by coming.

”Yay,” Kakashi agreed, flashing her an eyesmile and hoping against all likelihood that Tsunade would share her nurse’s elation at seeing him.

”Yosh!” she made a determined fist. Feisty lady. ”I’ll take you to Iruka-san’s room! He’ll be so happy, I bet.” She began to lead down the hall, Kakashi bouncing after her happily. ”He’s doing so much better now, by the way. Tsunade-sama thought he might be released as soon as tomorrow if his condition remains stable!”

…Wait, what? Kakashi froze in his steps, his life flashing by in his eyes. The nurse kept chattering, but Kakashi did not hear her. ¨

Doing better? But…Red heat could only be cured by pregnancy, could it not? Kakashi was far from an expert on the subject, but he thought he knew at least that much. _Unless Tsunade has come up with a cure?_ Hope surged in Kakashi’s chest. Yes, that was probably it. Their medical chief was after all known as one of the most talented ones in the field.

The nurse had noticed him falling behind and now stood facing him. ”Tsunade managed to cure him?” Kakashi asked.

”Yes,” she chirped. ”Though serious if left untreated, people do not die of red heat nowadays. His symptoms began settling late yesterday evening and this morning Tsunade-sama confirmed that he’s pregnant – that’s how you end a red heat.”

Kakashi felt as if a blade had been stuck in his liver.

”Iruka-san will be fine!” the nurse said, beaming at him, entirely obvious to Kakashi’s inner turmoil.

”I think… I think I need to sit down,” Kakashi said. He felt like vomiting, possibly ejecting his own intestines. The nurse gasped and then hurried to help him, which Kakashi didn’t need, he wasn’t _elderly,_ but, well.

”I’m sorry! I should have realized. Relief can sometimes be very overwhelming, especially if one has been very worried.”

”That’s not… Yes, that’s exactly it,” Kakashi lied, wondering what they taught nurses these days. Obviously they did not have an empathic bone in their body.

The red heat was over. Iruka was pregnant..Also very much alive. The reasonable part of his brain thought Kakashi should feel relieved, _Iruka would live,_ but instead he felt like he was dying. He raked fingers through his hair, pressing hard enough to scratch the surface of his scalp.

So what if he went bald? Iruka wouldn’t care that he had unusually thick and healthy hair! Not anymore!

”Take as long as you need,” the nurse said, patting his shoulder gently.

”Do you know who it is?” Kakashi asked miserably.

”Pardon?”

”Who he’s pregnant to,” Kakashi clarified. It felt like a sin to just to enquire about it.

”Eh…” she blinked, putting a finger to her mouth in thought. ”I’m sorry… I don’t know who specifically, but rest assured, Tsunade would only choose someone with an impeccable health record to father a child! I heard the sperm was particulously vigorous!” She beamed again, so certain that she’d managed to settle Kakashi’s worries.

He could not take it any longer.

”W-Wait, mister! Where are you going?”

”To the bathroom. Don’t wait up!” Kakashi said, before diving into the nearest bathroom, barely making it to the sink before emptying his stomach. Which wasn’t much, considering he hadn’t had much to eat in the last couple of days.

”Ooh, disgusting,” a beta man said, giving him a stinky look before passing Kakashi on his way out of the bathroom.

 _Fucker,_ thought Kakashi spitefully.

 

\---

 

By the time Kakashi made it out of the bathroom, the nurse was nowhere to be seen. _Good._ Kakashi wouldn’t make the mistake of asking someone to guide him again. He was a bit hesitant to look Iruka up after the information he’d just discovered, but a great part of him still felt responsible for the omega’s well-being and he couldn’t help but induldge in that instinct one more time.

Whenever he heard footspes echoing in the hall, he’d dive into empty rooms or supply closets, and eventually he found the correct room. In it, there was only a single white bed with a sleeping omega nestled between the blankets. Iruka’s dark skin stood out against all the white. Kakashi stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, coming to stand a few feet away from the bed.

Close up, it was easy to see that the heat had taken its toll on the omega. The lines on his face were more pronounced than usual and there were dark rings around his eyes as if he’d been unable to sleep ( _don’t think about it!)._ Now he was sleeping peacefully though, with one arm nestled around his stomach.

Kakashi couldn’t look away from that hand. As he watched, his stomach twisted painfully but at the same times, his eyes were unfailingly drawn to the yet flat stomach underneath Iruka’s dark palm.

 _If you kill the offspring, there’s a chance the next one could be yours,_ the darkness in Kakashi’s mind whispered tretcherously. Kakashi’s breath caught. For one moment he let himself imagine it, then – _No, nonono, noooo! Don’t let yourself think like that!_ Kakashi stepped back, shakily, rubbing his face with his palm. He needed to get away from Iruka before he did something unforgivable. Kakashi turned to leave, but a voice halted him in his strides

”You came.”

Kakashi didn’t turn around. He wasn’t sure he could bear to look his - _the_ omega in the eyes. ”Does that surprise you?” he asked instead.

”I was assured that you couldn’t. That they’d need you…”

Kakashi’s eyes squeezed shut. He felt a pressure build behind his eyelids, but realized he did not want to cry. Ever, but especially not now in front of Iruka.

”Do you know?” Iruka asked, voice small.

”Yes.”

A long, drawn out silence followed in the wake of his answer. It was the most painful moment of Kakashi’s life.

”And what do you think of that?” Iruka asked finally.

Kakashi turned about, and enjoyed seeing the omega on the bed flinch. He grinned, but there was nothing amiable about it. ”’What do I think of it’? Are you seriously asking me that, _Iruka?”_

”I-I didn’t know… We never talked…”

”It should have been fucking obvious!” Kakashi said, only to realize a second later how loudly he was speaking. He withdrew, having taken two agressive strides towards the bed, and begged silently that the staff would not have heard him. ”So, who was it?” he asked gruffly, apparently unable to let that detail go just yet.

”P-Pardon?”

Kakashi clenched his teeth. ”Who. Did it?” Why was everybody in this building being particularly slow-minded today?

”Tsunade-sama did,” Iruka said, sounding befuddled.

”Tsunade-sama is a fucking _beta_ and a woman,” Kakashi snapped, only to realize a moment later that some details were not adding up. On the bed Iruka was clutching the bedsheets hard enough for his knuckles to have gone entirely white, but he didn’t look nervous... Only confused. ” _What_ did Tsunade-sama do?”

”The fertilization,” Iruka said.

”She doesn’t have the right parts,” Kakashi gestured, not that Iruka should have needed any help figuring out what he was referring to.

”Not like that! Gosh, I don’t – You said you knew!” Iruka flushed a deep, mortified red.

”That you’re pregnant,” Kakashi said, deadpan.

”Yes!” Iruka said, raising his arms in the air. ”To you! And I’d appreciate it if you acted a little bit happier about it!”

Kakashi opened his mouth, only to realize there was _no way_ he could say something in answer to that, and his jaws snapped shut. A shocked silence fell over the room.

”I… I only arrived just now,” Kakashi said, pointing at the door behind him. Iruka rolled his eyes as if he thought Kakashi was a moron.

”You donated sperms before leaving for the Northern stronghold. _You_ of all people ought to know that. Tsunade-sama said you’d asked to only have yours used in the case of your death, but since we’d been, ah, close,” at this point Iruka’s cheeks flushed a delightful pink. ”She said an exception could be made in my case.”

Artificial insemination. All of Kakashi’s previous fears – an alpha, someone unknown, a threat, _burning jealousy_ – dissipated as the logical parts of his mind slowly restarted, pushing such silly thoughts away. Because Tsunade _had_ said the sperm bank they were collecting would be used – just not for what, but Kakashi was certainly smart enough to figure out it could be used in this way. Or, if the war drew out, to impregnate bonded mates that were waiting for their other half to come home.

Which meant… He was a father. Kind of.

With _Iruka._

” _Oh_ ,” Kakashi said, feeling faint for a second time that day.

 

**THE END?**

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have to write a third part for this, featuring Iruka's POV.


End file.
